12th October 20116, Singapore – This review came a tad late as the lens was issued to us and this review was completed in April 2016, but for some strange reasons, the whole folder for this review – including all the photos & text went missing among our backup servers. And last night while we are backing up our servers, the folder mysteriously appears again. Strange as it is, we decided to post this review as it was a really good lens as reviewed by our Review Editor Trisha Lim.

Before we proceed with the review, I would like to (again) share that if you ended up here looking for technical in-depth review, then you are certainly in the wrong place. Over here we are only keen how does the lens performed, the image quality and handling of the lens.

The Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN ART lens certainly did not came as a surprise as Sigma has always been serious in capturing the mirrorless market. With Sony now leading the market (kind of), the lens was released at the right time. The previous 30mm F.28 had been a great performer and this version is the ART version so do not be confused and ended up buying the wrong lens. Comes in black or silver, there are more than just a nice cosmetic makeover. For those new to Sigma, the “ART” series means Premium if that is layman enough.

The Sigma 30mm ART gives a focal length of 45mm for APSC (E-mount) system and a 60mm for other micro Four Thirds system with a large aperture that is well suited for many shooting conditions. To start, this lens is super compact measuring a mere 40.5mm x 60.8mm and weights like a feather at 140gm. Designed and built as a fast prime, this lens focus really fast (not sure if it is just me) as compared to its predecessor, and the focusing operation is so quiet that we have to place our ears on the lens to check if it is (even) working.

The optics are corrected via 7 elements in 5 groups which includes 2 aspherical elements that gives you excellent image quality with very minimal distortions and a good control over Chromatic Abberation. The 7 aperture blades are rounded so it gives a nice cylindrical bokeh similiar to those lenses with 9 blades. From F2.8 to F22, that is pretty much expected too for most of Sigma’s prime lenses. The front element is coated with Sigma’s proprietary Super Coating that reduce dusts and corrects colors as you shoot which is pretty standard. The front take 46mm screw-on filters and the lens feels tiny but well balanced to the hands. The Sigma 30mm ART focus from just 30cm from the sensor to the subject and has a very decent magnification ration of 1:8.1.

Our Review Editor Trisha Lim, took the Sigma 30mm ART to Thailand and used the lens throughout her trip. Let’s check out her review!

Trisha: When Editor AL told me that Sigma had delivered the review unit for their new 30mm F2.8 DN ART, I had a crazy idea. That is to just bring this lens and pair it up with my Sony a7 and do away with my usual insane gear combo. And I did not regret the decision!

My first impression of Sigma’s 30mm F2.8 DN ART was – it is a cute little lens. Light and small in size, I was contemplating if I should just bring along my zoom lens for the trip just in case. However I managed to survived the trip with just the 30mm. The lens performed beyond expectations and I like the image quality & colors that it produced.

Image: River Kwai, Shot with Sony a7 with the NEW Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN ART.The Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN Art focuses really fast and very quiet. Although it hunts a little when I was trying to focus on faraway subjects, I came to know later that it is pretty normal for lens of this focal range especially when you try to focus on “all-inifinity” subjects. So I am cool on this.

I like the feel of the lens barrel, very solid feel & very “metallic” but weights next to nothing. This is great especially for travel as heavy gear also means extra fatigue. The amount of details captured are awesome. I shot in jpg, not even raw, it is amazing how the Sony a7 + Sigma 30mm ART complements each other! Do check out some of the images that I am sharing here!

(Editor: All images posted here are clickable to view in full res 100%)

Large aperture lens are perfect for night photography! I went up to Baiyoke SkyII and took a few shots from the Observation Deck and I am amazed by what I can shoot with the Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN ART. Do see my example above. Isn’t it amazing? Do check out the rest of the images that I had shared for this article too!

Image: Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Shot with Sony a7 with the NEW Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN ART.

(Below) I cannot resist not shooting my Sister who was with me. Shot at wide open, check out how creamy smooth the bokeh is. This 30mm ART is a wonderful lens!

Conclusion – The New Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN ART is a well-designed, well made lens that is capable & reliable. I believed Sigma will not just allocate the “Art” designation unless the lens is meant for performance and high quality, so this 30mm is no exception. Going through my images for this trip, I am so glad that I had decided to leave my other gears at home and to just bring & use this lens throughout the trip. You should consider buying this lens for your next holiday!

– Trisha Lim, Review Editor.

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Editor: Right! The Sigma 30mm F2.8 DN ART lens is not just another lens that was made to compete, but to give high quality images and ease of use to users! And the last surprise? The lens is priced “below market expected” rates and you can own this lens for that little money. Time to hit the camera stores!